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Infusion Pump & Pulse Co-Oximeter Set One Delivery Day - April 10, 2026

An Urgent Need for Newborn / Premature Baby Equipment

Almost 2400 babies are born every year in the Playa del Carmen General Hospital. 

Many arrive fighting for their lives. Some are born prematurely, underweight, or with undiagnosed heart conditions.

The women who count on the services of this hospital are from the most at-risk areas in our community. 

They have no access to prenatal check ups. 

They have no prenatal vitamins or instruction on how to eat properly to help give their baby the best chance for a healthy life.

 

The children born in this hospital have the deck stacked against them.

 

The doctors and nurses do the very best with what they have but their efforts often fall short due to lack of basic equipment we take for granted in our modern neonatal units.

Working without the critical tools needed to track a baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels, our caring health professionals are often forced to make life-or-death decisions without real-time data.

The consequences? 

Delays in diagnosis, missed warning signs, inaccurately administered medication and tragic losses that could have been prevented.

But we can change this. 

 

Together, we can provide the hospital with the most critical two pieces of lifesaving equipment needed to monitor and protect its most vulnerable patients: newborns.

Rotary International
Area of Focus

Benefusion EVP Infusion Pumps – 

Ensuring Precise Medication and Fluid Delivery for Critically Ill Newborns

Newborns, especially premature and critically ill infants, often require continuous, carefully dosed medication, IV fluids, or nutrients to survive. Their tiny bodies cannot handle even slight miscalculations in medication dosage.

Rad-97 Pulse Co-Oximeter– 

Critical for Tracking Oxygen Levels in Premature and At-Risk Babies

Premature newborns and those with congenital conditions are often born with underdeveloped lungs or circulation issues, making oxygen monitoring essential for survival.

What it does:

● The Benefusion EVP Infusion Pump is an advanced, programmable device that delivers precise amounts of fluids, nutrients, and medications at a controlled rate—critical for fragile newborns.

● It prevents human error by ensuring that even the smallest doses of medication (e.g., antibiotics, pain relief, electrolytes, or IV nutrition) are administered slowly and accurately, reducing risks of overdose or underdose.

● It also enables continuous infusion, essential for babies who require round-the-clock medications like dopamine (for heart support), insulin (for metabolic disorders), or total parenteral nutrition (TPN) for feeding premature infants unable to nurse or bottle-feed.

What it does:

● The Rad-97 Pulse Co-Oximeter continuously monitors oxygen saturation (SpO₂), pulse rate, and perfusion index in real time, allowing doctors and nurses to detect oxygen deprivation before it leads to complications like brain damage, organ failure, or death.

● Unlike basic pulse oximeters, this advanced model uses Masimo SET® technology, which provides accurate readings even when a baby is moving or has poor circulation—a common issue in premature infants.

● It also measures hemoglobin and methemoglobin levels, crucial for detecting life-threatening conditions like neonatal anemia and oxygen transport issues.

Why it’s needed:

● Manually administering IV medications is risky—without an infusion pump, doctors and nurses must carefully time and adjust drip rates, increasing the chances of human error.

● Premature infants have immature kidneys and livers, meaning even a tiny excess of fluids or medication can lead to toxic buildup, seizures, or organ damage.

● Currently, the hospital has an extreme shortage of infusion pumps, forcing staff to share between multiple newborns or rely on manual drips, which lack the precision these fragile patients need.

Why it’s needed:

● Many newborns in Playa del Carmen General Hospital are born with low birth weight, breathing difficulties, or congenital heart conditions. Without proper monitoring, doctors must rely on visual assessments, which are unreliable and delay critical interventions.

● Early detection of oxygen fluctuations can prevent conditions like hypoxia (oxygen deprivation), acidosis, and respiratory failure, reducing the risk of long-term disabilities or infant mortality.

● Currently, the hospital has no neonatal pulse oximeters—meaning nurses must manually check for signs of distress, often too late to prevent complications.

Why These Two Devices Are Critical Together

While both devices serve different functions, they work hand in hand to ensure that premature and critically ill newborns receive the best possible care.

✅ The Rad-97 Pulse Co-Oximeter ensures immediate detection of oxygen and heart rate abnormalities.

✅ The Benefusion EVP Infusion Pump ensures precise delivery of lifesaving fluids and medications.

Together, these devices will help save hundreds of newborn lives every year at Playa del Carmen General Hospital.